Marine veteran comes to the rescue of a stranger

A marine veteran who served in Afghanistan became a hero to a stranger last week when he jumped into action after hearing a woman scream while he was shopping in the Lilac Mall.

By Liz Markhlevskayalmark@fosters.com

ROCHESTER — Afghanistan veteran Gary Fielding received big thanks last week after he retrieved a woman's stolen purse at the Lilac Mall.

Fielding, of Dover, was at JC Penny at the Lilac Mall Thursday with his father, buying a bracelet for his girlfriend, when he heard a woman scream.

When he looked to his left, the woman said that someone had grabbed her purse, and that she needed help.

Without thinking, Fielding dropped everything, and started running toward the man who stole the woman's purse.

Fielding, 24, chased the man for about 30 seconds, across the Lilac Mall parking lot, until he tackled the man and the purse fell to the ground. Fielding took the purse, while the man took off running.

By the time Fielding got back inside, the area around JC Penny was filled with people, who were cheering him and thanking him for the heroic deed.

“It looked like the whole mall was there,” Fielding recalled.

Fielding said to him, running after the thief was an instinct that most definitely came from his five years of service with the Marine Corps.

“I was just doing something anyone else would have done, at least I hope so,” said Fielding. “It's instinct, I didn't think twice about it.”

After coming back from a seven-month tour in Afghanistan, where Fielding worked as a UAB and radio technician, he is now employed at Trees Company in Merrimack.

After the incident, which occurred just before 4 p.m. on Thursday, a police report was made, and police are still looking for the theft suspect.

According to Police Capt. Paul Toussaint, the suspect is described as a white male in his 20s, blonde, with some facial hair. He was wearing a long-sleeved sweat shirt, blue or gray pants, and a gray flat-brim hat.

Anyone with information about the incident and the suspect is encouraged to call the Rochester Police Department at 330-7127. Alternatively, calls can be made to the Rochester Crimeline at 335-6500. All calls to the Rochester Crimeline will remain confidential and rewards may be given for information leading to an arrest. You can also text the Rochester Crimeline at Crimes (274637) in the body of the text, simply write TEXT4CASH followed by the tip.